According to new legislation working its way through the Legislature, it's high time medical marijuana had a more streamlined framework for local agencies.

Woodland's City Council plans to take a vote and support Senate Bill 1262, "which will provide what we have lacked in California since the voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996: A responsible, health-based regulatory scheme that upholds local control, squarely addresses public safety concerns, and includes important health and safety requirements," said Mayor Skip Davies in a letter of support.

The Compassionate Use Act (Proposition 215), state law has allowed Californians access to marijuana for medical purposes, and prohibited punitive action against physicians for making medical marijuana recommendations.

Further legislation, SB 420 passed in 2003, allowed patients and primary caregivers to cultivate marijuana for personal use and established in the Department of Public Health a medical marijuana card program for patients to use on a voluntary basis.

"As a municipal government, we are on the front lines on this issue along with our local police department, and have to cope with the effects of the current chaotic regulatory structure for medical marijuana on a daily basis," Davies continued. "We applaud your effort to put a responsible regulatory structure in place that protects patient access while protecting local control and addressing public safety issues.

"We believe that local governments should have a prominent role in any regulatory process for medical marijuana, and therefore support the approach in SB 1262."